Color-printing press



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(NovModel.)

L D ROBINSON COLOR PRNTING PRESS.

No. 595,653. Patented Deo. 14,1897.

INVENTOR, l

WI TJV ESSES No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. D. ROBINSON.

COLOR PRINTING PRESS.

Patented Deo. 14, 1897.

IJVVENTOR Zou/22s EaZ/@60m f5, gmm

Attorney Maxi? me mme PETERS co, momimw w (No Model.) 1 3 sheets-sneer, s.

" L. D. R( )BI 1\ISO1\T.4

COLOR PRINTING PRE-SS.

515595553. A Patented D55. 14,1897.

WITWESSES I IJVVEJVTOR 5g/QM f M Y awjs oZ/o. 9' Aj@ l K .Attorney m: wams Panna w Pucamrwo v mueran n c I UNiTED STATES PATENT Orricn.

LOUIS D. ROBINSON, OF DE FUNIAK SPRINGS, FLORIDA.

lcOLOR-PRINrlNc PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,653, dated December 14, 1897.

Application led December 1S, 1896. Serial No. 616,175. (No model.)

/To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis D. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Funiak Springs, in the county of Walton and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Color-Printing Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to printing-presses, and is designed for printing party-colored lithographs, dodgers, posters, &c.

The object of the invention is to provide, in connection with a revolving cylinder carrying the type-forms, a reciprocating platen and means for automatically supplying ink of different colors to the different forms on said cylinder during the rotation of the latter. The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a printing-press constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a front end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear end View thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical 1ongitudinal section through the machine. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail vertical section showing means whereby the inking-rollers are adapted to yield relatively to the type-beds, &c.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bed-plate of the machine, from which arise rigid vertical standards 2, having bearings for the horizontal shaft 3 of the cylinder 4. The cylinder 4 is composed of spaced end disks 5, connected rigidly at spaced intervals by means of a series of type-beds and transverse supporting-plates 6, upon which are supported a corresponding series of type-beds 7 the same being adjustable radially inward and outward by means of screws 8. By adjusting these screws the impression of each type-form may be regulated and the type-bed may be tilted so as to obtain the necessary uniform contact at all points of the form.

9 designates a series of aprons, one arranged in advance of each type-bed and made type high, so that the inking-rollers will be moved into the proper plane for inking the type prior to their reaching the type-form.

The inking-rollers 10 are arranged above the cylinder 4 and correspond in number to the number of type-beds 7. These rollers are mounted in spaced arms or plungers 1l, and the plungers are in turn slidingly mounted in tubular arms 12, rigidly connected to a common hub 13 on a horizontal shaft 14, journaled in bearings in the upper ends of the standards 2. Each of the plungers 11 is provided at its inner end with an enlargement or head 15, which coperates with an internal annular Iiange 16 within the tubular arm 12 for limiting the outward movement of said plunger, and the plunger is normally pressed outward by means of a spiral Aspring 17, arranged behind the inner end of said plunger and seated at its opposite end against a fixed shoulder within the tubular arm 12, as shown in Fig. 5. The inking-rollers 10 are thus yieldingly supported and adapted to conform accurately to the type-form passing thereunder.

Connected rigidly to the hub 13 of the inking-roller arms is a spider comprising arms 18, corresponding in number to the number of arms 12 and located, preferably, at points intermediate the said arms 12. The spiderarms 1S lie in the path of a series of radiallyprojecting plates or fingers 19 on the cylinder 4, said fingers having their extremities deflected substantially at right angles to contact with the spider-arms as the cylinder rotates. The number of the fingers 19 corresponds to the number of inking-rollers and type-beds, and in the rotation of the cylinder these fingers come in contact with the spider-arms and move one of the inking-rollers out of operative position and the succeed- `ing roller into operative position, so as to spread ink upon its respective type-form. The retrograde movement of the inking-rollers is prevented by means of a detent 20, in the form of a leaf-spring, secured at one end to one of the standards 2 and adapted to engage at its free end with a ratchet wheel or disk 21 on the hub of the ink-roller frame or carriage, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each IOO of the inking-rollers 10 is prevented from moving too far and is stopped in its operative position by means of a swinging detent 22, fast on a vertical .rock-shaft 23, mounted in bearings 24 on one of the standards 2, said shaft also having fast thereon an operating-arm 25, the extremity of which is extended inward into close proximity with one end of the cylinder 4 to form a lip 2G, which is engaged by a cam projection 27 on the cylinder in a rotation of the latter for moving said lip outward and rocking the shaft 23, thereby moving the extremity 2S of the detent out of the path of the spider-arms 18, so as to permit the linger 19 to engage with said spider-arms and shift the position of the inking-rollers. The detent 22 is normally held inward by means of a leaf-spring 29, mounted on one of the standards 2 and bearing at or near its free end against said detent, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and It will thus be seen that each inking-roller 10 is held locked in its operative posit ion until the type-form has passed from beneath the same, after which the cam 27 throws the detent out of engagement with the spider-arm 1S, and immediately thereafter the iinger 1f) operates upon said spiderarm for turning the ink-roller carriage. During this movement the cam 27 passes beyond the lip 26 of the detent, and the spring 29 then acts to return the detent, which now lies in the path of the succeeding spider-arm 18, and arrests the movement of the carriage, thus stopping the succeeding inking-roller in position to distribute the ink upon the succeeding type-form.

Ink is supplied to the inking-rollers 10 by means of a series of endless inking-belts 30, mounted between the end disks of the cylinder and traveling over spaced bars or rollers 3l, the outer bar or roller being arranged to move in proximal relation toits respective inking-roller, so as to cause the ink on the belt 30 to be applied to said roller.

32 denotes a series of ink-cups which are weighted, as indicated at 33, and pivotally suspended at 34 between the disks 5 of the cylinder, said cups being normally inclined to properly receive the rollers. The ink-cups 32 are thus suspended freely and are adapted to supply ink to a corresponding series of rollers 35, mounted in the swinging free ends of spaced links 3G, pivoted at 37 to the disks 5. In each complete revolution of the cylinder 4 the rollers 35 dip into the ink-cups 32 and take up a quantity of ink, and in the same revolution of the cylinder each roller 35 contacts with the outer surface of its respective belt 30, and just prior to said inkingbelt coming into contact with its respective inking-roller 10 the roller 35, acted upon by gravity, traverses a portion of the surface of the belt 30 and spreads the ink thereon, then dropping into the pendent position shown by the uppermost roller 35 in Fig. 4. The shaft of the upper roller 31 is extended through one of the disks 5 and is provided on its projectdifferent colors to each belt 30, and consequently to each inking-roller 10. The inking-rollers 10 in turn supply an ink of dilierent color to each of the forms on the beds 7, thereby enabling the cylinder in each revolution to print a dodger, poster, or lithograph in a variety of colors. Adjacent to cach endless inking-belt 30 are spreading-rollers 40 for distributing the ink uniformly on said belts.

4l designates areciprocating bed moving in a horizontal path just over the bed-plate 1 and mounted slidingly upon spaced guiderods 42. Superposed above the bed 41 is a spring-bed 43, consisting of a plate upheld by springs 44, disposed around vertical guides or pins 45 for allowing the bed 43 to yield up and down relatively to the reciprocating bed 41. Arranged over the bed 43 is a pressplat-en 4G,which is arched or curved, as shown, and made of spring material, so that it may Hex and conform to the printing-surface of the form and give a proper and equal impression. The platen 4G is supported on the bed 43 by means of adj usting-screws 47, by means of which the platen may be tilted or adjusted up and down to give the proper impression. The platen is reciprocated under the cylinder 4 by means of a lever 48, fulcrumed at 49 between spaced extensions or uprights 50, connected to the bed-plate 1. Connected with the lever 48 is an extension or arm 51, having a curved extremity 52, which lies close to one of the disks 4 and is operated upon by a series of laterally-projecting pins or studs 53, whereby the lever 48 is rocked. Interposed between the lever 48 and the reciprocating bed 41 is a connecting-rod 54, so that as the lever 4S is vibrated the press-platen is reciprocated beneath the cylinder.

The mechanism just described is used only for returning the platen to its initial point of stroke after an impression has been made. The initial movement of the platen, or that movement in which the impression is made, is effected by means of a series of radiallyprojecting iingers 55, mounted fast on the cylinder 4 on each of the end disks and arranged in transverse alinement. These ngers 55 come in contact with spaced shoulders 5G on the reciprocating bed 41, so that the platen is moved simultaneously and at the same rate of speed with the tjf'pe-form. In this movement of the platen the extension 51 of the lever is moved downward, and as the cylinder continues its rotation one of IOO the pins 53 comes into contact with said extension 5l,- thereby vibrating the lever 48 and returning the platen to its inital point of stroke.

57 designates the paper-table, having its inner edge bent downward to facilitate the sliding of the sheets onto the platen 46. Arranged under the table 57 near its discharge end is a pair of rollers 58 for effecting a discharge of the printed sheet. These rollers move in close contact with each other, and one of them is provided at one end with a pulley 59, from which a belt 60 extends over another pulley 6l on the cylinder-shaft 3. Motion is communicated to said cylindershaft from any desired motor.

70 designates a gripper which is mounted on a rock-shaft 71 at the rear end of the platen. This rock-shaft is extended at one end and provided with a crank-arm 72, which is arranged in the path of a cam projection 73 on the cylinder 4. Only one cam projection 73 is provided, so that the cylinder will act at only one point in its revolution on the rockshaft '71 of the gripper. During the remainder of the rotation of the cylinder the paper being printed is held by the gripper. The cam projection 73 is arranged so that after all the different-colored impressions have been made upon the sheet it will come in contact with the arm 72 of the rock-shaft 7l and rock the gripper out of engagement with the rear edge of the sheet just as the platen reaches the front or front end of its movement, or its initial point of stroke, when the operator may move the front edge of the sheet into engagement with the rollers 58, which will then act to discharge the sheet from the press. At the same time the operator moves the inner end of a second sheet onto the platen and under the gripper, and as the platen starts under the cylinder t-he gripper is moved into engagement with the sheet by means of a spring 75, interposed between a crank-arm 7 6 a't the opposite end of the rock-shaft 7l and n the reciprocating bed 4l or other convenient point for operating the rock-shaft and applying the gripper.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriicing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a printing-press,the combination with a revoluble cylinder, and a series of type-beds carried thereby, of a revoluble ink-roller carriage, a series of inking-rollers carried thereby, and coperating means on said cylinder and carriage, whereby the inking-rollers are automatically shifted into operative relation to their respective beds, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a revoluble cylinder carrying a series of type-beds, ot' a revoluble ink-roller carriage, a series of inkingrollers carried thereby, a spider comprising a series of radially-disposed arms-connected to the hub of said carriage, and a corresponding series of lingers carried by the cylinder and acting on said arms for rotating said carriage, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a printing-press,the combination with a revoluble cylinder carrying a series of typebeds, of a revoluble ink-roller carriage, a series of inking-rollers carried thereby, means on the cylinder for actuating said carriage, a ratchet-disk fast on the carriage, and a detent engaging said disk for preventing retrograde movement thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a printing -press, a revoluble inkroller carriage, comprising a series of radiating tubular arms connected to a common hub at spaced points, a corresponding series of plungers slidingly mounted in said arms and provided at their inner ends with heads for engaging annular shoulders within said arms, a series of inking-rollers j ournaled at the ends of said plungers, and springs arranged behind the inner ends of said plungers within the arms for pressing the rollers outward, substantially as described.

5. In a printing-press, a revoluble cylinder carrying a series of type-beds, in combination with a shiftable series of inking-rollers, a corresponding series of inking-belts carried by the cylinder and adapted to carry ink to the inking-rollers, means for intermittently moving said belts while the inking-rollers are in contact therewith, and means on the cylinder for supplying ink to said belts, substantially as described.

6. In a printing-press, a revoluble cylinder carrying a series of type-beds, in combination with a shiftable series of inking-rollers, a corresponding series of endless belts for supplying ink to said rollers, a series of inkcups carried by the cylinder, and a series of gravity-rollers suspended within the cylinder and adapted to take up ink from the cups and apply the same to the belts, substantially as described.

7. In aprinting-press,the combination with a revoluble cylinder carrying a type-bed, and an inking-roller operating over said bed, of an endless inking-belt carried by the cylinder and running over spaced rollers, a friction-wheel connected to one of said rollers and intermittently operated by means of a segmental track secured to the machine-frame,

an ink-cup carried by the cylinder, and a gravity-roller suspended within the cylinder and adapted to take up ink from the cup and apply the same to the said belt, substantially as described.

8. In a printing-press,the combination with a revoluble cylinder carrying a series of typebeds, of a reciprocating platen, a lever mounted on the machine-trame, a connecting-rod interposed between said lever and the platen, a series of tingers on the cylinder for moving the platen once for each type-bed, and a second series of ngers on the cylinder coper- IOO IIO

ating With said level` for returning the platen to its initial point of stroke, substantially as described.

9. In a printing-press,the combination with a revoluble cylinder, and a series of type-beds carried thereby, of a reciprocating platen, means for giving said platen a complete movement for each type-bed, a paper-gripper connected to the platen, and means on the cylinder for operating said gripper to release the paper at each complete revolution of the cylinder, substantially as described.

lO. In a printing-press, the combination with a revoluble cylinder, and a series of type-beds carried thereby, of a reciprocating platen, means for giving said platen one complete movement for each type-bed, a papergripper connected to the platen, a rock-shaft for operating said gripper, a crank-arm on said rock-shaft, and a projection on the cylinder cooperating with said crank-arm for vibratin g the gripper at each complete revolution of the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described.

l'l. In a printing-press, the combination with a revoluble cylinder, of a revoluble series of inking-rollers, a spider connected to the carriage of the inking-rollers and comprising a series of radiating arms, a detent mounted on the machine-frame and having its extremity normally arranged in the path of said arms, projections on the cylinder for moving said detent out of the path of said arms, and fingers on the cylinder adapted to engage with said arms for shifting the inking-rollers, substantially as described.

l2. In a printing-press, the combination with a machine-frame, and a revoluble cylinder journaled therein and carrying aseries of type-beds, of a revoluble ink-roller carriage journaled in the frame, a series of inkin g-rollers carried thereby, a series of radiating arms on said carriage, a spring-actuated detent on the machine-frame, normally projecting in to the path of said arms, projections on the cylinder for moving said detent out of the path of said arms at timed intervals, and fingers carried bythe cylinder and adapted to cooperate with said arms for imparting a partial revolution to the ink-roller carriage, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this speciication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LOUIS D. ROBINSON.

I Vitnesses:

G. P. HENRY, THEO. S. LANZ. 

